novelraw Chapter 830 - 808: Boiling a Frog in Warm Water
Chapter 830 - 808: Boiling a Frog in Warm Water
"How... how is this possible!" King of Sannan shouted, losing his composure, "You and Fang Chuning... you are..."
He was dumbfounded and incredulous, as if he had fallen into a stupor. In Beining, the customs are so traditional, and children grow up under strict clan rules and ceremonies. Fang Chuning, being the Marshal’s only child, responsible for revitalizing his family and extending its branches in the future, how could he have an affair with Xie Jue?
Was Xie Jue deliberately deceiving him?
King of Sannan thought carefully about Fang Chuning and Xie Jue, how they seemed inseparable at all times. They were always together at palace banquets, secretly talking and acting like no one was around, being extraordinarily intimate. At that time, he thought Xie Jue and Fang Chuning grew up together and went through life and death on the Ningzhou Battlefield, so perhaps their feelings were better than others, and didn’t pay much attention. He didn’t think of them as lovers. Now, hearing Xie Jue talk about the affair as if it were nothing, he felt as if he was getting to know Xie Jue all over again.
But he spoke of the affair without any shame or guilt, as if discussing something very ordinary, making King of Sannan wonder if he was bluffing.
But there was no need!
"Because you ignored the advice and revealed your identity, now the two factions are tense, troops are increased at the border, what will you do now? My brother has a bad temper, is extremely possessive and controlling. You declared my identity in Sannan Royal Family without notifying him, which he sees as a provocation. Quelling his anger is not so easy. The news of increased troops has reached Sannan, so it seems Dugu Jing and the Grand Marshal’s armies have gathered at the border, and the navy is about to be deployed. Should we continue negotiating or not? You must give me an answer!" Xie Jue calmly looked at King of Sannan’s anxious face.
He was leading King of Sannan step by step into his own trap, with Xie Xun cooperating well. King of Sannan was now on horseback riding a tiger, caught in a dilemma between announcing abdication and retracting orders.
Privately seeking out Xie Jue, King of Sannan intended to sow discord and provoke tensions between Xie Xun and Xie Jue, yet now was outmaneuvered by Xie Jue, feeling extremely complex, "Because Xie Xun deployed soldiers to intimidate, you’re giving up the Sannan throne originally meant for you?"
"Why would I provoke my own younger brother? Once I inherit the throne, blood will flow like a river in Sannan, the two factions will surely go to war, and civilians will suffer tremendously. Is this what you want?"
"You are his only elder brother; he couldn’t possibly send troops to attack you!"
"Now all troops have been gathered at the border; you can’t close your eyes and deny the facts. I know Zhixu’s temperament better than anyone. If he sends troops, he’s not just posturing to intimidate you. The huge logistics for hundreds of thousands of troops cost a considerable amount of silver coin. He just ascended the throne, everything needs rebuilding; if he wasn’t planning war, why would he send troops to the border and waste money and effort." Xie Jue said calmly, "You might as well consider what to do if you don’t want to fight."
"This throne is yours; I’ll abdicate for you. Do with it as you please!" King of Sannan took a desperate gamble, still refusing to believe Xie Jue had no interest in royal power.
"Then it’s forcing someone against their will. I won’t accept this throne unless you kill me. If I die in Sannan, the border will immediately erupt in war, none from your imperial family will escape. Zhixu will not only slaughter your sons and grandsons, but even your daughters won’t be spared." Xie Jue said leisurely, "You should listen to my suggestion."
King of Sannan’s chest heaved violently with anger, finding Xie Jue’s striking face repugnant, "I wish to hear your brilliant idea!"
"Surrender and bring Sannan with you in surrender; it’s your only route. I can assure you, if you surrender, Mudan City and the surrounding three cities will be your fiefdom, and you’ll be the only vassal king of Beining. You simply won’t govern Sannan, but you won’t lack power or money, living in comfort with children and grandchildren around you. We won’t utterly annihilate the Beiman. The troops this time are led by Dugu Jing, who will spare Sannan with me here. The Sannan Royal Family will live in wealth and comfort. It’s a very favorable deal for you. If you really want a dead-end battle, it’ll be difficult for both of us since I don’t have many relatives left in this world. Though my ties with you are shallow, there’s, after all, a blood relationship, and I don’t wish for Zhixu to utterly destroy you. This is the most stable plan now; you can discuss it with the High Priest and several princes."
King of Sannan wanted to preserve Sannan, thus was willing to abdicate for Xie Jue, yet how could he agree to surrender? Surrendering makes him a sinner of the Sannan Royal Family, a lost country ruler; his pride wouldn’t allow it, and neither would his dignity.
Xie Jue’s goal was to make King of Sannan surrender.
And keep pressing him continually until he must voluntarily surrender, or it’ll be a dead-end.
"Prince Yan, I know you stand from your position, hoping I bring Sannan to surrender, but comparing heart for heart, if one day Beining’s national strength declined and neighbors invaded, would you also persuade your brother to surrender, becoming a lost country ruler?" King of Sannan spoke with sorrowful tone, "I might abdicate the throne for you since you are of Sannan Royal Family blood, purer than ours, but I don’t wish to surrender. If I do, how can I ever face the ancestors? Why don’t you tell me if one day Beining faces such a situation, would you also surrender to Xie Xun? Do not do to others what you yourself do not desire!"
"From my perspective, one who eats the monarch’s salary should be loyal in service, politics isn’t about ifs. I don’t know what decision I would make in life-or-death moments, but I only know what to do now. Roads are walked step by step, don’t worry about things that haven’t happened." Xie Jue remained calm, unmoved by King of Sannan’s sorrow, "If you have the spirit and wish to rise in resistance, then go to war personally with twenty thousand Sannan soldiers against Beining’s army. But you’ve just lost a battle, morale is low. If you truly fight again, you’ll still lose, what’s the point then? All soldiers will die defending Beining, leaving behind the old, weak, women, and children. Most crucially, Sannan and Beining differ from Beining and Beiman; we are of the same origin, just ceded decades ago. Sannan and Beining are essentially family, and Beining also doesn’t want to go to war!"
Xie Jue was met outside the Imperial Palace by Fang Chuning waiting for him and quickly approached him upon seeing him, "How did the talks go?"
"Not optimistic!" Xie Jue shook his head slightly, "He’s more stubborn than I imagined."
"Pressure has already been applied at the border. The Sannan Royal Family absolutely doesn’t want to sit back and wait for death. I’m afraid they might act desperately, taking you hostage, forcing the emperor to worry about the consequences, leading to a stalemate at the border."
"No matter, the surrender of Sannan is merely incidental!" Xie Jue said confidently, "This small piece of land is not filled with Beiman’s elite forces nor does it have Beiman’s red sand mine, it’s not so important. If he’s stubborn, then let it drag on slowly."